Dad Charged For Letting 10-Year-Old Daughter Drive In Fatal ATV Crash

[NorthernHawkeye]

Charges filed well over a year since the accident.

Do you agree with these charges?

Dad Charged For Letting 10-Year-Old Daughter Drive In Fatal ATV Crash | iHeart

The girl and her friend were killed in the crash. | iHeart

www.iheart.com

 

[tumorboy]

No helmet bothers me the most here. But a preteen driving a 800 cc without supervision is a close second.
Manslaughter I don’t agree with. Endangerment yes.

 

[Chishawk1425]

Just horrific all around for all parties.

 

[seminoleed]

Negligent parent needs to see to jail time.

 

[THE_DEVIL]

After reading his response he deserves much much worse

 

[Hawked]

After reading his response he deserves much much worse

I don't see much of a problem with them. Should have been more remorseful but I grew up that way too. I had no problem operating the 4-wheeler, lawn mower, and tractors on our farm at that age.


"Us and the kids have hundreds of hours on four-wheelers," Koeckeritz told the paper.

"It's the way we all grew up. There wasn't a lack of confidence in her abilities. She was making a left-hand turn, and a wheel got caught in a divot. It was just unforeseen," he added.

Koeckeritz was charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter and two counts of child endangerment causing harm or death.

He said he was shocked to learn he was facing charges.

"The fact that the county prosecutor would even be contemplating charges is mind-blowing," Koeckeritz said. "Isn't it enough that my other kids have lost our daughter due to a freak accident?"

 

[mnole03]

Yup.

 

[mnole03]

This is from the safety brochure for the vehicle.

DO NOT PERMIT CHILDREN TO DRIVE OR RIDE ADULT ATVS

Children are involved in about one-third of all ATV-related deaths and hospital emergency room injuries. Most of these deaths and injuries occur when a child is driving or riding on an adult ATV. Children under 16 on adult ATVs are twice as likely to be injured as those riding youth ATVs.

 

[Hawked]

This is from the safety brochure from the vehicle.

DO NOT PERMIT CHILDREN TO DRIVE OR RIDE ADULT ATVS

Children are involved in about one-third of all ATV-related deaths and hospital emergency room injuries. Most of these deaths and injuries occur when a child is driving or riding on an adult ATV. Children under 16 on adult ATVs are twice as likely to be injured as those riding youth ATVs.

Yep. There was a big sticker on the front left fender of my first 4 wheeler saying over 16 in big letters. The beer I drank in high school said over 21. The speed limit in town is 35 but I go 5 over.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

Folks, this is not 1950. Kids should not be handling things that could kill them.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

Odd that such a case would take over a year to charge.

Regardless, I don't see a path forward that includes a guilty plea or guilty verdict for manslaughter.

 

[THE_DEVIL]

https://consumerfed.org/press_relea...for-off-highway-vehicle-riders-and-occupants/

WASHINGTON, DC – As 2023 wraps up, Consumer Federation of America (CFA) has documented 498 off-highway vehicle (OHV) fatalities last year. Children 15 years and younger accounted for 19% of all deaths. Children six years and under continue to make up a sizeable portion of the OHV fatalities, and multiple children as young as three years old were killed last year while riding an OHV.

 

[thewop]

I don't see much of a problem with them. Should have been more remorseful but I grew up that way too. I had no problem operating the 4-wheeler, lawn mower, and tractors on our farm at that age.


"Us and the kids have hundreds of hours on four-wheelers," Koeckeritz told the paper.

"It's the way we all grew up. There wasn't a lack of confidence in her abilities. She was making a left-hand turn, and a wheel got caught in a divot. It was just unforeseen," he added.

Koeckeritz was charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter and two counts of child endangerment causing harm or death.

He said he was shocked to learn he was facing charges.

"The fact that the county prosecutor would even be contemplating charges is mind-blowing," Koeckeritz said. "Isn't it enough that my other kids have lost our daughter due to a freak accident?"

He's right. Tragic accident for sure, but I trust the girl knew what she was doing.

Verdict depends where the judge grew up. City or rural.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

Small town’s in Iowa have lots of people not old enough driving golf carts and ATVs around town. Zero tolerance policy needs to be put in place with some heavy fines on the owners of the vehicles.

 

[Hawkman98]

Small town’s in Iowa have lots of people not old enough driving golf carts and ATVs around town. Zero tolerance policy needs to be put in place with some heavy fines on the owners of the vehicles.

I pull people over who do this all the time

 

[ZachJump]

I pull people over who do this all the time

You sound like a damn Californian trying to tell us how to live….after they buy a house across the street from a brothel in Rural Nevada.

 

[Hawkman98]

You sound like a damn Californian trying to tell us how to live….after they buy a house across the street from a brothel in Rural Nevada.

Yes, how dare I do my job. These things are more dangerous than a regular vehicle. Under age kids shouldn't be driving them.

 

[Bierhalter]

Mind-blowing that certain people don't see any issue with children operating heavy machinery.

 

[Thunderlips71]

Yes I agree with these charges. He broke the law and two children died as a result.

 

[Hawkman98]

Mind-blowing that certain people don't see any issue with children operating heavy machinery.

Heavy machinery that rolls easier than a regular vehicle, some have no doors or roofs, and no air bags or other safety equipment. Plus they can be driven off road with less than great terrain. Kids with no experience in driving should not be near a driver's seat.

 

[DooBi]

I don't see much of a problem with them. Should have been more remorseful but I grew up that way too. I had no problem operating the 4-wheeler, lawn mower, and tractors on our farm at that age.


"Us and the kids have hundreds of hours on four-wheelers," Koeckeritz told the paper.

"It's the way we all grew up. There wasn't a lack of confidence in her abilities. She was making a left-hand turn, and a wheel got caught in a divot. It was just unforeseen," he added.

Koeckeritz was charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter and two counts of child endangerment causing harm or death.

He said he was shocked to learn he was facing charges.

"The fact that the county prosecutor would even be contemplating charges is mind-blowing," Koeckeritz said. "Isn't it enough that my other kids have lost our daughter due to a freak accident?"

Plus the comments are more than a year later. It's not like it just happened last week.

10 does seem awfully young but I think my son was probably pretty close to that age when he started driving the 4 wheeler out at the farm. However, he never would have been free to just go off for hours where no one was watching him. He had supervision at all times until he was older.

 

[ICWestfan]

They were not wearing helmets or other protective gear.

If you are allowing a 10 y/o to drive, you should at a minimum be enforcing a helmet/seatbelt rule. That he didn't is what I have a problem with. Accidents happen, this seems like one that could have been prevented.

 

[tumorboy]

Plus the comments are more than a year later. It's not like it just happened last week.

10 does seem awfully young but I think my son was probably pretty close to that age when he started driving the 4 wheeler out at the farm. However, he never would have been free to just go off for hours where no one was watching him. He had supervision at all times until he was older.

Grew up on a farm as well. Cousins had three wheelers, but we were never allowed to drive them without helmets. Plus, an adult near by that knew what we were doing.

 

[Pinehawk]

ATV's are dangerous. I lost an adult cousin to an ATV accident, and he drove it all the time to check on his cattle.
His wife found him dead trapped under it, at a place he'd ridden probably hundreds of times.

That said, I don't think it's appropriate to bring manslaughter charges against a grieving family a year later. There is no threat to the public here being addressed, so this is just about the State further punishing a family who lost a child.

 

[Dr. Phil Seuss]

Sad story. Dumb to charge the man—that will certainly be justice for his grieving family, losing dad and provider to jail for negligence, rendering him less employable.

 

[B1GDeal]

Sad story. Dumb to charge the man—that will certainly be justice for his grieving family, losing dad and provider to jail for negligence, rendering him less employable.

I don't understand this train of thought. Yes, it's sad the family lost someone, but his negligence was the cause of this loss. Had he not allowed her to drive this she would still be alive, but hey let's not charge the guy cuz his kid died and that's sad.

 

[NDallasRuss]

ATV's are dangerous. I lost an adult cousin to an ATV accident, and he drove it all the time to check on his cattle.
His wife found him dead trapped under it, at a place he'd ridden probably hundreds of times.

That said, I don't think it's appropriate to bring manslaughter charges against a grieving family a year later. There is no threat to the public here being addressed, so this is just about the State further punishing a family who lost a child.

Alternatively, you could say: "...this is just about the State further punishing a man whose negligence and lack of concern for his child's safety and well-being was responsible for the death of a child."

 

[Dr. Phil Seuss]

I don't understand this train of thought. Yes, it's sad the family lost someone, but his negligence was the cause of this loss. Had he not allowed her to drive this she would still be alive, but hey let's not charge the guy cuz his kid died and that's sad.

I reread the story and just realized a friend was also killed, which is likely why he was charged. I have a tough time believing he would be charged if it were only his kid that was killed.

 

[bdcolt45er]

Some of the he worst injuries I have seen are from kids riding in Grandpa's lap on a riding lawnmower. It always makes me wince a bit when people post those pictures on facebook.

For ATVs/snowmobiles I've seen a number of liver kidney lacerations and some spinal cord injuries. I think a 10 year old seems too young. Maybe if they were driving a smaller, lighter, slower vehicle would be more appropriate.

 

[TennNole17]

I started driving a Honda Big Red 3 wheeler when I was 10. Dunno who's idea that was, but its a different time now, unfortunately.

 

[alaskanseminole]

I don't see much of a problem with them. Should have been more remorseful but I grew up that way too. I had no problem operating the 4-wheeler, lawn mower, and tractors on our farm at that age.


"Us and the kids have hundreds of hours on four-wheelers," Koeckeritz told the paper.

"It's the way we all grew up. There wasn't a lack of confidence in her abilities. She was making a left-hand turn, and a wheel got caught in a divot. It was just unforeseen," he added.

Koeckeritz was charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter and two counts of child endangerment causing harm or death.

He said he was shocked to learn he was facing charges.

"The fact that the county prosecutor would even be contemplating charges is mind-blowing," Koeckeritz said. "Isn't it enough that my other kids have lost our daughter due to a freak accident?"

Same...I was driving tractors, ATVs, boats and our Willys Jeep at that age--given I had to use low range on the Willys because I had to use both feet to push in the clutch, but I got it done. Kids are more capable than we give them credit for.